Action jeans

ABSTRACT

Action jeans formed of two basic side pieces joined at the crotch seam and each formed into a leg portion by a slidefastener outseam and with no seam or interruption on the adjacent, inner-leg surfaces.

UnitedStates Patent 1 [1 1 1 3,800,330 Bowcut Apr. 2, 1974 ACTION JEANS [76] Inventor: Donal L. Bowcut, I 1] S. George St., Puma), [hammer-H Hampton Hunter Charles Town, W. Va. 25414 [22] Filed: Feb. 22, I972 [21] Appl. No.: 228,128 [57] ABSTRACT [52] U.S. Cl. 2/227 Action jeans formed of two basic side Pieces joined at 51 1 Int. Cl A4ld l/06 the crotch Seam and each formed a leg Pmi"n by 5 Field f Search 2/227 243 R, 79, 78 R a slide-fastener outseam and with no seam or interruption on the adjacent, inner-leg surfaces.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 2,923,009 2/1960 Cookmm 2/227 PATENIEDAPR 2 I974 SHEET 1 [IF 2 ACTION JEANS BACKGROUND -OF THE INVENTION and work jeans to be designed and made as an attractive and stylish item of apparel.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART U. S. Pat. No. 506,052 (1893) to Lonergan disclosed overalls which are openable along the outer seam of each leg, with the seams being closeable by snap fasteners.

US. Pat. No. 2,565,739 to Pointen discloses a seatless, bib-coverall having openable outseams in the legs, with the outseams being closeable by slide fasteners.

US. Pat. No. 2,923,009 to Cookman discloses a mu]- tiple-opening trouser for handicapped persons. A

These patents, as wel as the familiar jodhpurs, ski pants and childrens snow suits, have not been entirely satisfactory.

When used in activities such as sports, or work, freedom of leg action is absolutely necessary throughout the entire range of leg motion. For example, jeans used for horseback riding must permit bending of the knees to a high degree without constriction or binding of the legs.

While certain prior jeans permit such motion, they have the common fault of riding up on the wearers legs, eventually encumbering the legs in their activity and requiring an interruption to readjust the jeans.

Recognition of this problem is evident in the steps that have been taken to prevent rideup. Jodhpurs and certain ski pants have narrowed calf-portions which bind against the lower calf to keep them from riding up. Other ski pants and many snow suits have elastic cuffs to bind against the ankle or straps which extend below and around the foot all designed to transfer the load against the lower leg itself. I

Furthermore, all such prior jeans are immediately recognizable in their function. Overalls and chaps are distinct work garments. Jodhpurs and ski pants are clearly sport garments. Eac h betrays its function and precludes a fashionable shaping or styling so that they cannot follow current style trends without scrificing their function.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides action jeans which are formed of two basic side pieces joined to each other only along one permanent seam running from the crotch around the seat area to the waist. Each side piece is then joined to itself by a slide fastener along an outer portion of the wearers leg in order to encase the leg, and may carry additional releaseable fasteners, such as buckles or snaps, at the waist portion. The single seam may include an area of releaseable fasteners to provide the usual fly for menswear.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A better understanding may be derived from the accompanying description and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a rear view of a preferred form ofjeans embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial front view showing details of the fly and waist;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the jeans of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partial front view showing detail of the waist;

FIG. 5 is a rear view of the jeans of FIG. I and FIG. 6 is a front view, on a reduced scale, of a modifled form of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in the drawings, the jeans are formed of two single pieces of leather R and L, respectively, right side and left side. The sides R, L are joined by a single, permanent crotch-seam 10, shown as a laced seam using leather lacing l I. Where desired, the ventral portion of the seam 10 is provided with releaseable fasteners such as snaps 12 to provide the usual fly of menswear. 7

While I prefer leather soft leather in particular as the material of construction, it is to be understood that other materials may be used. Heavy or relatively stiffer materials, which approach the nature of my preferred, soft leathers will provide the optimum benefits to be derived from the invention.

Each of the sides R and L is provided with a releaseable fastener assembly 14r, 141, respectively, at its upper or waist end. As is best shown in FIG. 5, the side R is provided with a tongue lSr on its front portion and a buckle 16r on its rear portion. Similarly, the side L carries a tongue 15L and a buckle 16L. When assembled and joined, the fasteners 14R, 14L and the upper ends, straight-edges W W of the sides R, L, which are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension of the halves, form a self-belt for the jeans.

' Preferably, the side half L carries a flap 17 at the waist which is releaseably fastened, such as by snaps 18, to the waist of the other side R, to supplement the fasteners against the belting tension provided by the assemblies 14R and 14L.

Each side R, L is provided with a slide fastener 20R, 20L, respectively, which extends substantially the full length of the side half, beginning adjacent the waist and extending at least to a point below the zone of the ball of the wearers calf, and preferably to the zone just above the wearers ankle. The slide fasteners include two separable tracks 21 and 22 mounted on opposite front and rear edges 23 and 24, respectively, of their respective side R or L.

Therefore, when the track 21L of front edge 23L is secured to track 22L of mating rear edge 24, the side L is closed on itself to form a leg having an outseam extending from adjacent the waist to adjacent the left ankle of the wearer. Similarly, the side R is closed on itself to form the right leg. Each leg has an absolutely smooth surface, where the ordinary inseam would be in prior jeans, as well as a relatively stiff, non-folding, outer rib, which is formed by its slide fastener.

As shown, the preferred form of the invention includes a widened portion or bell 25R, 25L, respectively, at the lower extremity of each side half R and L. While not absolutely necessary to yield the benefits of my invention, the bell-bottoms 25R and 25L are most desirable and cooperate with the one-piece leg and the stiffening slide fastener to provide an especially rideup-resistant leg.

As best shown in FIG. 6, the one-piece legs with bells, having only the one, slide-fastened, long-seam outwardly and with no inseam align the slide fasteners in an outward-extending are. This are or arching biases the legs individually outwardly, so that the assembled jeans, as they might be held up or placed on a hanger, exhibit an almost knock kneed shape. When worn on a person, however, the jeans lose their knockkneed look, but retain the arcuate, outward bias of the slide fastener which is so effective in obstructing the undesired ride-up".

In the absence of the bells, as may be desirable for reasons of style or taste, the slide fasteners still impart adequate rigidity to the impermanent outseams which effectively resists the tendency to ride up, particularly since the innermost area of the leg is absolutely smooth and seamless.

As a possibly desirable variation, each side half may be formed by more than one piece of material as represented by a dotted seam-line 26 on the right side R in FIG. 6 but it is important to the present invention that there are to be no seams on the middle portions of the side halves where the legs might rub against each other or rub against an interposed structure such as a saddle or a motorcycle. Preferably, at least the middle 40 percent of each side half is seam-free.

Also, I prefer to provide a flap 27R, 27L, respectively, on each forward edge 23R and 23L to close over and obscure the slide fasteners R, 20L from view. Alternatively, the flaps may take the form of the fringes 28R, 28L of FIG. 6.

In order to close the lower portions of the seams formed by the slide fasteners 20R and 20L, I prefer to arrange snap fasteners 29R, 29L, respectively, below the slide fasteners. The snaps 29 serve to augment the lock of the slide fastener against unintentional opening, but are not absolutely necessary. Other common ways of finishing the slide fastener seam may be used, if desired.

Various changes may be made in the details of the invention, as described, without sacrificing the advantages thereof as departing from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

I. Action jeans comprising a. a right side-half and b. a left side-half, 1

c. each side-half including a leg portion and having curved free edges at one end thereof,

d. the curved edges of said side-halves being joined to each other to form a crotch portion having a permanent crotch seam,

e. each side-half having a front longitudinal edge and a mating rear longitudinal edge extending the full length of the leg-portion, at least the middle 40 percent of each side-half between the front and rear edges thereof being formed of a single piece of stiff material free of seams, and

f. the front and rear longitudinal edges carrying mating slide-fastener tracks,

whereby each side-half is joinable to itself at said mating slide fastener tracks to close said leg portion and providing an imperrnanent outseam.

2. The action jeans of claim 1 in which each side-half is formed of a single piece of leather.

3. The action jeans of claim 2 in which the front and rear edges of each side-half diverge at the lower end of the side-half to form a bell.

4. The action jeans of claim 2 in which each side half has a pair of straight edges each on an opposite side of its curved edge. 

1. Action jeans comprising a. a right side-half and b. a left side-half, c. each side-half including a leg portion and having curved free edges at one end thereof, d. the curved edges of said side-halves being joined to each other to form a crotch portion having a permanent crotch seam, e. each side-half having a front longitudinal edge and a mating rear longitudinal edge extending the full length of the legportion, at least the middle 40 percent of each side-half between the front and rear edges thereof being formed of a single piece of stiff material free of seams, and f. the front and rear longitudinal edges carrying mating slidefastener tracks, whereby each side-half is joinable to itself at said mating slide fastener tracks to close said leg portion and providing an impermanent outseam.
 2. The action jeans of claim 1 in which each side-half is formed of a single piece of leather.
 3. The action jeans of claim 2 in which the front and rear edges of each side-half diverge at the lower end of the side-half to form a bell.
 4. The action jeans of claim 2 in which each side half has a pair of straight edges each on an opposite side of its curved edge. 